


Three Mistakes

by StupidComputer



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: M/M, Trans Max, also not mentioned but max is trans in this, also the illness in this is just idk 'fanfic illness sickness' or something, and it was supposed to be just a short response but then it became 1200 words oops, anyways this was a tumblr prompt, i didn't have a particular thing in mind, like i said not mentioned but just assume that anything i write has trans max, nerris and nikki only play a v small role at the end but still
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-18
Updated: 2018-07-18
Packaged: 2019-06-12 08:47:40
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,267
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15336207
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StupidComputer/pseuds/StupidComputer
Summary: He’d been at the hospital for hours, the stench of sterilization and sickness filling his lungs with every breath. The waiting room was furnished with comfy chairs and supplied with free coffee and wifi as if those things combined could make everything better, more bearable.Max hated itWhen it counted the most, just loving someone didn’t mean jack shit.





	Three Mistakes

He’d been at the hospital for hours, the stench of sterilization and sickness filling his lungs with every breath. The waiting room was furnished with comfy chairs and supplied with free coffee and wifi as if those things combined could make everything better, more bearable.

Max hated it

More accurately he hated the fact that he wasn’t with Neil. No matter how much he’d begged and pleaded with the doctor, he was kept away. They weren’t related or married. It didn’t matter that he loved him, that they lived together, that they’d been together since they were 11. It didn’t matter that Neil was in a hospital bed alone until his parents finished their hours long trip to the hospital. None of that mattered.

When it counted the most, just loving someone didn’t mean jack  _ shit _ .

A few of the nurses kept giving him pity looks; all of which were met with a scowl and the occasional middle finger. 

If they really cared they would let him see his boyfriend, the man he was definitely going to marry after this fiasco, if not just for love, then for convenience. 

Trapped in the cursed waiting room there was nothing he could do but think. Sit and think about all the mistakes that led up to the point they were at. 

* * *

 

Mistake 1: letting Neil go to class that first day.

* * *

 

“Ok I’m not a fucking doctor or anything but I’m gonna go out on a limb here and say that you’re sick.” 

Neil glared back at him with a look of annoyance, his currently bright red nose turned up at the mere suggestion.

“I’m fine.” He retorted, all while his nose continued to drip.

Max rolled his eyes at that. Neil never wanted to admit that he was sick. His excuse was that he was to busy to get sick, one of his few faults in logic. That always led to Max pointing out that he was probably sick  _ because  _ he was so busy.

This instance was no different. Max sat on the edge of their bed (still a thrill to thing: their bed, their room, their apartment) and watched as Neil stumbled and struggled with getting ready, chuckling at his sad excuse for a tied tie. 

“Seriously, you look like shit Neil.”

“You’re such a charmer.”

“That’s why you love me.” 

“Don’t insult me with such baseless accusations.” 

Neil smirked, but paired with his paled face and chapped lips it appeared to be more of a grimace.

Max just huffed and fell back onto the bed. 

“God, you’re too sick to even flirt right.” 

He closed his eyes, taking in the comfort and smell of their mattress while Neil finished his morning routine: getting dressed, trying to comb his curly hair, going to the kitchen for coffee instead of a real breakfast. 

Max only opened his eyes when his boyfriend finished up and kissed him on the forehead. He responded by grabbing Neil by the collar and kissing him on the mouth, sickness be damned. Neil’s chapped lips rubbed harshly against his own but he didn’t care as he snaked his arms around Neil’s neck and pulled him downward. Once they parted Max put on his best pout face.

“You need rest. Stay. Sleep.” 

He could see Neil losing his resolve, so close to giving in. 

Then the alarm on his phone went off. 

“Shit I’m late! Have fun wasting your life away on the bed and mooching off me. See you tonight lazy bones.” 

Neil kissed him once more, then left with Max calling after him. 

“Asshole!” 

* * *

 

Mistake 2: pretending that nothing was wrong.

* * *

 

He’d noticed the little things. The coughing fits. The loss of appetite. The drained, pale look. And the weight loss. The weight loss was especially apparent. They’d always been opposites: Max, short and heavy, chubby and strong. Neil, tall and lanky, slender and defined. 

Neil was a toothpick. But his toothpick form was giving way to a more skeletal look. Neither liked admitting that something was wrong. If something was wrong then that meant there was a chance that it couldn’t be fixed and both Neil and Max weren’t about to give in to their own fear. Any concern Max had was shrugged off. His worries were constantly being deflected or ignored and after a while he gave in. 

There was only so many ties he could pester Neil before teaching became arguing and arguing became Neil sleeping on the couch.  There were many hills Max was willing to die on; fighting with his boyfriend over whether or not he was sick wasn’t one of them.

Allergies. That’s what they blamed it on. Just really bad allergies. Max knew it was a stupid excuse but it was easier to believe, easier to swallow. It wasn’t until it was much too late that he admitted to himself that something was very,  _ very  _ wrong.

It happened when they were cuddling on the couch, an action that Max denied liking in the public eye but Neil knew he adored. Said nerd was curled up against him, weary head resting on his chest while long limbs wrapped around his ample, quite comfortable frame. 

“Like a teddy bear.” Neil had commented once upon a time, resulting in a light smack to the arm at the time and later a very nice kiss. 

With Neil pushed against his frame Max could feel the other’s bones, the sharp and harsh edges of what was at one point simply soft and slender curves. He was worried. As much as Neil didn’t want him to be he was worried. Bordering on terrified. Something was going on. Something was wrong with Neil. He decided, with Neil clinging to him, that one of them needed to say something. 

“Hey babe? I think we need to talk.”

When Neil opened his mouth to respond all that came out was a violent cough. And then blood.

* * *

 

Mistake 3: Not dialing 911 fast enough.

* * *

 

It was two more hours before Neil’s parents arrived. Two hours of the waiting room, of bad wifi and cheap coffee and nurses that Max honestly wanted to punch in the face. When they finally arrived they hugged him and he hugged back. It didn’t matter that he didn’t care for him, that they didn’t like each other, they all had one thing in common: Neil. They were there for Neil and that bonded them together.

The next day Nikki arrived trailed by Nerris, her fiance. They hugged, Max cried into her arms and once he was done she cried into his. Then there was Nerris, bringing them food, reminding them to eat, Neil’s parents included. 

It was two days later when the new hit them. Nikki fell apart in Nerris’ arms, sobbing. Neil’s parents went into shock.

And Max collapsed to the floor on the spot. Tears running down his face, stomach heaving with nothing in it to empty. The words ran over and over again in his mind.

He’d planned a future with Neil, had tangled their entire lives together. Finish college, get married, buy a house, start a business, adopt kids. Every mushy, sentimental thing that Max always made fun of he was willing and eager to do with Neil. Because he loved him and that’s what love was. Love was building a life together. A family. A home. Growing old and fat and grey together. Making fun of other couples for their domesticity and then turning around and doing the exact same things.

He wouldn’t have that anymore. They wouldn’t have that anymore. 

“We’re sorry, Neil has passed.” 

**Author's Note:**

> This was a prompt on my tumblr blog. "(blank) has died" and someone sent in "Neil has died" so now this exists i guess. i need to write more maxneil stuff so lemme know if y'all like this


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